Every 11 years, the polarity of the sun’s magnetic field reverses, leading to cyclical peaks in solar activity – and along this same cycle, it aligns with Venus, Earth, and Jupiter.
In a new study, researchers in Germany suggest the tidal forces from these three planets may directly influence oscillations in a phenomenon known as the ‘alpha effect,’ dictating the 22-year cycle of the solar dynamo.
While it’s known that the dynamo, a combination of the omega and alpha effects, is responsible for the sun’s magnetic field, the origins of the alpha effect have long remained a mystery.
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